The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus are service-connected.,Service connection is granted for right ear hearing loss, cold weather damage of the lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy, and muscle damage. Additional development is needed to determine if these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his period of active duty.,Service connection for the other conditions requires additional evidence as they may not be directly related to service, but could have been caused by cold weather exposure or genetic factors.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, right ear hearing loss disability, cold weather damage of the left lower extremity, cold weather damage of the right lower extremity, cold weather damage of the left upper extremity, cold weather damage of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, muscle damage of the left upper extremity, muscle damage of the right upper extremity, muscle damage of the left lower extremity, muscle damage of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19161298
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19161298.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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